Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook

by Bette Midler

Overview

Cabaret icon Bette Midler reunites with her old piano partner Barry Manilow for the first time in over 30 years to toast one of their mutual idols on Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. Clooney was one of the top jazz/pop vocalists of the '50s whose clear, bright tone, impeccable melodicism, and smiling, girl-next-door image came together to make classics out of tunes like "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" and "Hey There" -- both covered here. In that tradition, Midler's plucky blonde persona and genre-crossing style and Manilow's modern day blend of Mercer and Porter make this album work -- most of the time. Mostly what you get is the Divine Miss M and "Mister Manila," as Midler affectionately refers to Manilow, returning to their '70s New York roots on "On a Slow Boat to China," a solid and classy version of "Sisters" with Linda Ronstadt taking the Betty Clooney role, and a very Dixie Chicks-esque contemporary bluegrass reworking of "This Ole House." Least of all, you get limp, hip-hop-lite arrangements of "Come On-A My House" and "Mambo Italiano," which only serve to drain the songs of any swing and makes the twee-period lyrics all the more cloying. Nonetheless, Midler -- who can carry a tune on personality alone -- sounds elegant and alive here and Manilow's classy orchestral arrangements frame the proceedings with the urbane glow of nostalgia for a time -- be it the '50s or the '70s -- when a big band, a great song, and blonde with a nice voice were all you needed for a good time. ~ Matt Collar

Product Details

Release Date:	04/15/2010
Label:	Columbia
UPC:	0886976883423
Rank:	8372

Tracks

1. You'll Never Know
2. This Ole House
3. On a Slow Boat to China
4. Hey There
5. Tenderly
6. Come on-a My House
7. Mambo Italiano
8. Sisters [From White Christmas]
9. Memories of You
10. In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening
11. White Christmas [From White Christmas]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bette Midler   Primary Artist
Linda Ronstadt   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Barry Manilow   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Piano
Brian Kilgore   Percussion
Simon Oswell   Viola
Phil Ayling   Oboe
Dennis Farias   Trumpet
Warren Leuning   Trumpet
Robin Olson   Violin
Natalie Leggett   Violin
Patrick Williams   Conductor
Bruce Morgenthaler   Double Bass
Robert Berg   Viola
Alan Estes   Percussion
Katia Popov   Violin
Jorge Calandrelli   Conductor
Ana Landauer   Violin
Alan Grunfeld   Violin
Ken Yerke   Violin
Michael Hart Thompson   Guitar
Rick Gerding   Viola
Kevan Torfeh   Cello
Mark Robertson   Violin
Claire Martin   Violin
Chuck Berghofer   Bass
Jacqueline Brand   Violin
Gregg Field   Drums
Clayton Haslop   Violin
David Steele   Tenor (Vocal),Vocals (Background)
Dean Parks   Guitar
Wayne Bergeron   Trumpet
Lisa M. Sutton   Violin
Rafael Rishik   Violin
Darrin McCann   Viola
Rick Baptist   Trumpet
Richard Todd   French Horn
Don Williams   Mallets
Sarah Thornblade   Violin
Miwako Watanabe   Violin
Michael Fisher   Percussion
Randy Waldman   Piano,Harpsichord
Michael Thompson   Guitar
Timothy Landauer   Cello
Daniel Greco   Percussion
Stephen Erdody   Cello
Dan Higgins   Saxophone
George Doering   Guitar
Evan Wilson   Viola
Alan Kaplan   Trombone
Phillip Levy   Violin
Michael Nowak   Viola
Victoria Miskolczy   Viola
Josephina Abandolo   Violin
Hans Stamer   Baritone (Vocal)
Brian O'Connor   French Horn
Herb Pedersen   Banjo
Dave Walther   Viola
Bob Summers   Trumpet
Bill Watrous   Trombone
Kenny Blackwell   Mandolin
Brian Scanlon   Saxophone
Charles Loper   Trombone
Gayle Levant   Harp
Charlie Bisharat   Violin
Joel Peskin   Saxophone
Dennis Karmazyn   Cello
Robbie Buchanan   Bass,Drums,Piano,Celeste,Conductor,Keyboards
Jim Walker   Flute
Andrew Martin   Trombone
Ray Ellis   Conductor
Shanti Randall   Viola
Endre Granat   Violin
Dimitrie Leivici   Violin
Bruce Fowler   Trombone
Beverley Staunton   Vocals (Background)
Vinnie Colaiuta   Drums
Anatoly Rosinsky   Violin
Bob Shepard   Saxophone
Eun Mee Ahn   Violin
Roberto Cani   Violin
Gary Foster   Saxophone
Dane Little   Cello
Armen Ksadjikian   Cello
Nico Abandolo   Double Bass
Stan "Be Bop" Martin   Trumpet
Karie Prescott   Viola
Sungil Lee   Violin
David H. Speltz   Cello
Matthew Funes   Viola
Mario de Leon   Violin
Tamara Hatwan   Violin
Beverly Dahlke-Smith   Saxophone
Eric J. Hosler   Violin
Andrew Shulman   Cello
Steve Welch   Piano
Richard Altenbach   Violin
Antony Cooke   Cello
Brian Dembow   Viola
Bruce Dukov   Violin
Michele Richards   Violin
Gregory Lee   Violin
Franklyn D'Antonio   Violin
Jeanne Evans   Violin
Paul Cohen   Cello
Marlow Fisher   Viola
Warren Stanyer   Tenor (Vocal),Vocals (Background)
John A. Reynolds   French Horn
Robin Olsen   Violin
Hans Staymer   Baritone (Vocal),Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Frank Loesser   Composer
Patrick Williams   Arranger
Harry Warren   Composer
Jorge Calandrelli   Arranger
Gordon Berg   Music Preparation
Garry Kief   Executive Producer
Gail Marowitz   Design,Art Direction
Charles Peterson   Photography
Barry Manilow   Duet,Concept,Arranger,Producer
Doug Sax   Mastering
Eubie Blake   Composer
Jay Landers   Executive Producer
Walter Gross   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Scott Erickson   Assistant Engineer,Associate Producer
Marc Hulett   Associate Producer
Peter Fletcher   Photography
Ross Bagdasarian   Composer
Stuart Hamblen   Composer
William Saroyan   Composer
Ryan Petrie   Assistant Engineer
Linda Ronstadt   Duet
Robbie Buchanan   Arranger,Producer
Jerry Ross   Composer
Ray Ellis   Arranger
Robert Hadley   Mastering
Hoagy Carmichael   Composer
David Low   Orchestra Contractor
Richard Adler   Composer
Bob Merrill   Composer
M. Gordon   Composer
Jill Hattersley   Assistant
Junko Tamura   Music Preparation
Michael O'Neill   Cover Photo
Peiling Sim   Music Preparation
Ian Cuttler   Design
Bill Edwards   Music Preparation
Andy Razaf   Composer
Bill Schnee   Mixing,Engineer
Jack Lawrence   Composer
Irving Berlin   Composer
Danny Perito   Music Preparation
Jonathan Barrick Griffiths   Music Preparation